The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelly replacing Annette Beard (now Beard-Sterling). In 1967, Kelly was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. It was right about this time that the group's name was officially changed to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, to conform with the company's recent changes of The Supremes' and The Miracles' names to reflect their featured lead singers. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972.
The story of the group did not end completely with their split-up in 1972, however. While Tilley and Williams (both now deceased) eventually retired, the others continued with their individual career pursuits: Lois sang with the group Quiet Elegance and also sang background for Al Green; Reeves reunited with original Vandellas Ashford and Beard-Sterling for a 1978 benefit concert in Los Angeles; and in 1983, Reeves performed solo at Motown 25, which partly helped her and the Vandellas gain a new audience. In particular, Reeves herself is still known to sing with her sisters Lois and Delphine, often performing as a solo artist under the bill, "Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas", and still performs all over the world.
Mockingbird
Martha and The Vandellas Lyrics
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He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Hear me now and understand
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
And if that better way ain't so
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Everybody have you heard?
She's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
She's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
She's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' no, no, no, no,no
Listen now and understand
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I might rise above , I might go below
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all
No, no, no, no, no, no, now, now, baby
The song "Mockingbird" by Martha and The Vandellas is about a couple who use promises and threats to communicate their desires and needs to one another. The couple is trying to fix their relationship by buying gifts for each other. The song opens with the woman telling everyone that her man is going to buy her a mockingbird. She believes that if the bird doesn't sing, he will buy her a diamond ring to make up for it. She also suggests that if the ring does not shine, he will break her heart. She continues to tell everyone that this is why she is continually telling them all these things.
The man then sings, stating that he will find her some peace of mind. If it does not stay, he will find a better way. He suggests that he might rise above or go below, but he will still ride with the tide and go with the flow. He then repeats that this is why he keeps shouting in everyone's ear.
The song presents a couple who have some communication and relational problems that they are trying to fix with gifts. They are not addressing the root of the problem but are using conditional gifts as a band-aid solution. The use of the mockingbird and diamond ring as symbols and repetition of phrases "That's why I keep shouting in your ear" and "Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo" give the song an earworm quality.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody have you heard?
Hey everyone, are you listening?
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
He promised to get me a bird that can sing.
And if that mockingbird won't sing
But if the bird doesn't sing like he promised,
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
he'll try to make up for it by getting me a shiny ring.
And if that diamond ring won't shine
But if the ring doesn't turn out to be as nice as he promised,
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
he's going to disappoint me and hurt my feelings.
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
That's why I keep warning everyone, saying 'watch out!'.
Hear me now and understand
Listen to me carefully and get it.
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
He'll find a way to make me feel better.
And if that peace of mind won't stay
But if that doesn't last,
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I'll try to find a solution on my own.
And if that better way ain't so
But if that doesn't work out,
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
I'll just go with the flow and see what happens.
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin'
That's why I keep telling you loudly,
She's gonna buy me a mockingbird
She promised to get me a bird that can sing.
And if that mockingbird won't sing
But if the bird doesn't sing like she promised,
She's gonna buy me a diamond ring
she'll try to make up for it by getting me a shiny ring.
And if that diamond ring won't shine
But if the ring doesn't turn out to be as nice as she promised,
She's gonna surely break this heart of mine
she's going to disappoint me and hurt my feelings.
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' no, no, no, no,no
That's why I keep warning everyone, saying 'no way!'.
Listen now and understand
Listen carefully and comprehend.
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
She'll find a way to make me feel better.
And if that peace of mind won't stay
But if that doesn't last,
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I'll try to find a solution on my own.
I might rise above , I might go below
I'll either succeed or fail.
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
I'll just go with the flow and see what happens.
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all
That's why I keep telling you loudly, everyone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Charlie Foxx, Inez Foxx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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